National briefs

Businesses can benefit from improving work flexibility, says an Australian Institute of Management paper. The big challenge is attitudes and the need to make flexible work “mainstream", beyond a women’s issue. The institute is seeking comments by August 31. Katie Walsh

Gail Jones has won the $30,000 Kibble Literary Award for the novel Five Bells. Favel Parrett won the $5000 Dobbie Literary Award for a first-time published author for the novel Past the Shallows. Both awards, for outstanding Australian female literary achievement, were presented at the State Library of NSW on WednesdayKatrina Strickland

Authorities have intercepted a boat carrying a suspected 80 asylum seekers off the West Australian coast.

Australian Customs Vessel Hervey Bay, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the boat at the Cocos Islands. AAP

Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
has refused to comment on reports that an alleged Canadian spy may have compromised Australian intelligence. Jeffrey Paul Delisle faces charges of selling intelligence to Russian agents. AAP